Half Marathon Specific Workouts for Beginners
Week 1:
Threshold run:
1- to 2-mile warm-up
2 x 2 miles at goal HM pace with 4 minutes rest
1-mile cooldown
Long run:
10-mile long run with miles 7 to 9 (2 miles) at 10 seconds slower than goal HM pace
Week 2:
Threshold run:
1- to 2-mile warm-up
4 miles at goal HM pace
1-mile cooldown
Speed endurance:
1- to 2-mile warm-up
4 x 1 mile at 10 seconds slower than 10K pace with 60 seconds rest
1-mile cooldown
Long run:
6 to 8 miles easy
Week 3:
Threshold run:
1- to 2-mile warm-up
5-mile cut down (start at marathon pace, and drop 10 seconds per mile)
1-mile cooldown
More: 3 Progression Runs to Reach Race-Day Success
Long run:
12-mile long run with miles 9 to 11 (2 miles) at 10 seconds slower than goal HM pace
Week 4:
Threshold run:
1- to 2-mile warm-up
2 x 3 miles at goal HM pace with 4 minutes rest
1-mile cooldown
Speed endurance:
1- to 2-mile warm-up
8 x 800 meters at 10 seconds slower than 10K pace with 60 seconds rest
1 mile cool down
Long run:
6 to 8 miles easy
Week 5:
Threshold run:
1- to 2-mile warm-up
5-mile alternating tempo (start with HM pace and alternate with marathon pace, switching each mile)
Example: A two-hour marathoner should run:
1-mile warm-up
5 miles at 9:10, 9:30, 9:10, 9:30, 9:10 per-mile pace
1-mile cooldown
Long run:
14-mile long run with miles 10 to 13 (3 miles) at 10 seconds slower than goal HM pace
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